Irenicum, to the lovers of truth and peace heart-divisions opened in the causes and…

Socrates in his Ecclesiastical History, lib. 3. cap. 21. reports of the Macedonians petitioning Jovianus the Emperor for the banishing of those who were not of their judgement in matters of religion of great moment. The Emperor receiving their supplication gave them no other answer but this, I tell you truly, I cannot away with contention, but such as embrace unity and concord I do honour and reverence them. Tertullian in his book ad Scapulam, cap. 2. says, It is not the way of Religion to compel Religion, which ought to be taken up willingly, not by force. If you should compel us, says he, to sacrifice, what did you in this for your gods? none desire sacrifice from those who are unwilling, but such as are contentious: but God is not contentious. I find in Thuanus his History, ¹lib. 16. a notable passage in a writing that the Senate of Paris sent to their King in the year 1555. after he had sent forth an Edict requiring great severity against those who differed in matters of Religion: They professed to him they did not think his Edict equal, and that they could not subscribe to it: for, say they, we see that such severe punishments, for matters of Religion, render men detestable to the people, but their errors abide the same still, they are not at all altered in their opinions by severity but for their parts they give their judgements, that it were better to go in the old way of the Church, which did not propagate ⟨p. 230⟩Religion by sword and fire, but by pure doctrine, and the good examples of the lives of their Bishops. Let them live piously, and teach the word of God sincerely, this is the way to root out errors that increase so fast: but if this be not done, no Laws, no Edicts of men will do any good.² Sleidan in his Commentaries hath set down a Decree of the Emperor, King Ferdinando, and the rest of the Princes and States, that the controversy of Religion should be appeased by none other but by godly, friendly, and quiet means. But a few pages after he relates the effect of a Petition of those in Austria for their freedom in Religion, to King Ferdinando, with an answer of the King to them: In which there was this passage, That such as shall not like that Religion which the Prince hath chosen, may have free liberty to sell that they have, and go dwell in another place, without any blemish to their estimation.